The foundation which we build on a pup or a dog, is determined by many more factors than we often see.

A seeing eye dog who is actually handled and trained by a person without sight, has a much more intense desire for the work of assistance to its handler, than the seeing eye dog trained by someone with sight. In this manner "need" builds the foundation of the dog in the work.

Much too often we put shaky foundations on our dog.n our daily lives, which are very often hectic, we manage to slip in brief moments for our dogs, our children and ourselves. Taking our dogs to a training class once a month, we do not realize that the dog can do no better in it's training than we have done in it's foundation.

In our modern society we hectically hire landscapers to plant flowers, bringing a pleasant view to our surroundings, yet we never stop to smell their fragrance nor do we reach done to touch the earth that is beneath our feet. With each new generation our foundation gets shakier and shakier.

We cannot build anything but nervous hostility on the foundations we are building for our future generations. When we take a close look at ourselves, we are actually looking at the foundation we have built under our dogs.

We are a very mixed up group. We wonder why our dogs bite out and why so many different trainers have so many foolish ideas. Nothings seems to work. Our vets prescribe drugs for the very nervousness in our dogs, due to poor breeding and poor rearing. What was once abnormal is now normal. That which was once solid and noble, is now shaky and of poor character. What do we do? Do we except responsibility? Do we take a close look at what we are creating? No! We do what our foundation has taught us to know. We ban the breeds that we have dammed and bastardized. We don't fix it or attempt to understand it. We just drive on; we are not responsible. It is the dog's fault. It is the breed's fault.

There are times when I look at my dogs and I feel that I should say, "I am sorry." But yet I know they would say "for what? We walked willingly beside those that are destroying us, and where you go as a human race we will willingly follow."
I believe more than I can express in writing, that it is time to look around at the foundation we are standing on because even if it can be disguised in our two legged friends it is showing so clearly in our four legged friends.

Foundation is the most important part of a dog's life because it is a bold statement on the human condition.
©Mike McConnery/Baden K9 Incorporated, 11/26/01

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